aadler | Reading

Title: Watcher’s Diary, syllabically
Author: rippergiles
Characters: Rupert Giles, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, Jenny Calendar, Ethan Rayne, Joyce Summers
Pairings: Giles & Buffy, Giles/Jenny, Giles/Ethan (later), Giles/Joyce (later)
Rating: General Audiences
Word count: 206 (Part 1 of 7)
Summary: A series of Giles-centric haikus written about or sourced from all episodes he appears in.
Season One posted for Summer of Giles 2025. Subsequent seasons will be posted intermittently as I rewatch BTVS.

Read on AO3

ozma914

It seems like no one wants to face challenges or work for their dreams, anymore--they just seem to want everything handed to them. That made me wonder, what would have happened if Americans shared that attitude back at the time of the Revolution?

The Boston Tea Party:

“We’re being taxed on that tea without representation! We should dress up as Indians, sneak about the ship, and throw all those crates of tea overboard!”

“Are you kidding? Do you have any idea how much it costs to rent an Indian costume? And that war paint is terrible on my complexion. Besides, those tomahawks are dangerous, and don’t you think it’s insulting to our Native American friends? Why don’t we just write a letter, instead?”

The Battle of Lexington and Concord:

“Paul Revere, ride out and warn the Minutemen the British are coming!”

“I’m kind of busy doing engravings right now; are you sure they’re coming?”

“There’s a lantern in the church steeple!”

“I can’t remember if it’s one if by land and two if by sea, or the other way around. I’d hate to make a mistake; can’t you get Samuel Adams to do it?”

“But you’ve got the fastest horse!”

“Upkeep is a killer. She throws a shoe every other day, and it’s a pain taking care of all that leather, and she only gets about three miles to the bale. If I’m going to keep doing this, I’m really going to need some kind of financial assistance.”

The Battle of Bunker Hill:

“As long as the ammunition holds out, we can fight the British off for days!”

“Um, about that, sir: We’re out of ammunition.”

“What?”

“Well, the New Jersey guys were supposed to bring some, but they forgot; and the Virginia boys were willing to sell us some, but they wouldn’t take our Massachusetts money; and the Rhode Island guys say theirs all got wet on the way over, because hey--island.”

“But--"

“The New York fellas didn’t think their bullets would be compatible, and the guys from the Carolinas didn’t show up at all. We had supplies still left at Lexington, but Paul Revere wouldn’t lend us his horse.”

“Oh, never mind. I just found out we’re on the wrong hill, anyway. Let’s call it a day and sample some of that beer Sam Adams is so proud of.”

Not historically accurate: It should have 50 Continental soldiers and about a thousand British.

George Washington:

“George, the Congress wants you to take over the army and beat the British.”

“Say what?”

“Now, I know they’ve got a large, well trained, disciplined, and well supplied army of experienced soldiers, and you’ve got farmers and merchants who’ve never shot at anything bigger than a turkey, but--"

“If you’re trying to convince me, you need to take lessons.”

John Paul Jones:

“As you know, Captain Jones, we’re fighting the most powerful navy in the world, and our navy consists of two barrels we borrowed from Sam Adams. Still, we’d like you to take a ship out there and give ‘em a good fight!”

“No way. Sam Adams doesn’t have enough beer in all of Boston to get me that drunk. I’m changing my name to John Paul Smith.”

Trenton:

“Dear Diary: We were supposed to cross the Delaware and attack the Hessians today, but we couldn’t get anybody to lend us boats. Then our feet got cold, and besides, we were a little hung over from all that beer Sam Adams sent over on Christmas. Besides, Hessians aren’t even British – what did the Germans ever do to us?”

There's been a flag on the play.

Valley Forge:

“To the Continental Congress: We are suffering under one of the worst winters in history, and we lack clothing, housing, firewood, food, and medical supplies. This is the greatest challenge my army has ever faced.

“I’m going back to Virginia. It’s warm there, and Martha makes a great stew.

“Sincerely, George Washington.”

And finally, the Declaration of Independence:

“Um, guys, I really don’t feel up to writing this.”

“But Tom, you’re our best writer!”

“Yeah, but … you want me to put all our causes and reasoning, and justify the first revolution of a British colony ever, in one little document? That would be hard.”

“But you’ve got that neat portable desk, and the copy machine you invented, and a really cool quill pen.”

“My wrist has been hurting. I think I’m getting carpel tunnel.”

“Look, this is important. We’re dedicating our lives, fortunes and sacred honor to this fight.”

“Yeah, about that. Is that such a good idea? I can let go of a little sacred honor, but that life and fortune stuff … I mean, my name would be on this thing.”

“If it makes you feel better, we’ll get John Hancock to sign his name in great big letters, so he’ll be the one they arrest.”

“Hey --!”

“Sorry, John, you wanted to be President of Congress. Come on now, Tom. Do it in
rhyme. We’ll call it the rappin’ revolution, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t know … don’t you think people will be bothered that a slave owner wrote a declaration of freedom?”

“We’ll call it a declaration of independence. Semantics, Tom! It’s all in the wording.”

“Well, all right … but I’m not paying for all that ink.”

All the photos I've taken of fireworks, and only one came out.

You're free to find our books here:

· Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

· Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

· Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

· Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

· Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ozma914/

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

· Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

· Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarkRHunter

· Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

· Substack: https://substack.com/@markrhunter

· Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/ozma914

· Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

· Audible: https://www.audible.com/search?searchAuthor=Mark+R.+Hunter&ref_pageloadid=4C1TS2KZGoOjloaJ&pf

Remember: the documents that made us free are worth nothing if no one reads them.

Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: the USA
Current Music: God Bless America

il_mio_capitano posting in

summer_of_giles

It's July already and the comm is now open for posting.

All submissions are welcome at anytime but if I feel there is excessive spam I will step in. Behold my mod powers!

Clarification on AI, yes you can use it to grammar and spell check, no, you can't use it to generate words or images in the first place.

Have at it, my friends!

Capitano

Current Mood: bouncy

alierak posting in

dw_maintenance

We're having to rebuild the search server again (previously, previously). It will take a few days to reindex all the content.

Meanwhile search services should be running, but probably returning no results or incomplete results for most queries.

snickfic

IT'S HAPPENING. YOU GUYS IT'S HAPPENING. After literal months of dragging my feet due to a pet health situation, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and bought my plane tickets. To be fair to me, that did take several hours of thinking and comparing, because I'm also going to Slovenia to see friends, so I had to consider three one-way legs vs nested round-trips, plus see what day was cheapest to leave and come back within various other constraints, etc. BUT I HAVE THEM. AND I LEAVE IN LITERALLY THREE WEEKS AHHHHH.

Friend I'm going to the concert with told me all her friends are jealous because none of them could get tickets. 😇😇😇 I've seen photos of big Oasis displays over in the UK. Sounds like the hype is huge, can't wait to see it for myself.

In celebration, here's some top-notch Oasis content I've come across recently:
Noel calling into TalkSports, 6/27. On one hand, there's been basically zero official promo (unless you count a really slickly produced video advertising their exclusive Adidas line, which I do not???). On the other hand: Noel randomly calling into a sports radio show every so often. He seems in SUCH GOOD SPIRITS here omg, constantly referring to Liam as "our kid," winding up the hosts, being silly, and cheerfully declaring that it's "too late to back out [of the tour] now."

‘Liam had been drinking all night. Noel was not in a great mood’: photographers pick their best Oasis shot (The Guardian). Some fantastic quotes in this.

Bands – especially ones with a pretty boy singer or a female singer – can get really nervous that the singer gets all the attention. Noel was never like that. He said: “You’ve got to use the assets you’ve got.” -- Kevin Cummings

Are you fucking kidding me. Just when you think you've finally seen all the best/weirdest quotes from Noel about Liam... there's always more.

We were booked on the same flight, but the band were in club class and me and the hack were in goats-and-chickens. Liam came back to say hello. He was a garrulous guy, even pre-fame. He was standing at the back of the plane having a beer and this woman came by huffing and puffing with some kids and Liam offered to look after one of them. He pulled down one of those seats the flight attendants sit on and had the girl on his lap and chatted to her. After the tales I’d heard, I’d thought I was about to spend a few days with a nutcase. But he was sweet as a nut. -- Tom Sheehan

🥺🥺🥺

And in conclusion, a performance of the song that got me into Oasis, from 1997 near the peak of Oasis mania:

Watch on YouTube

Noel gets so into the prechorus that he sings along with Liam even though he's not at the mic at the time, Liam looks like he's having a religious experience during Noel's guitar solo and then does a little dance, Noel looks like he's having a difference kind of experience during the solo... Top notch stuff.

ozma914

History Press finally matched our upcoming book with its cover! It might not seem like a big deal, but it was a bit unnerving to see Haunted Noble County, Indiana up for preorder everywhere, but without a cover to ... well, cover it.

But wait--there's more. I decided to Google the book so I could give you all the links to it, and discovered Google is now giving AI overviews to anything you search. I can't say I'm thrilled. I'd much rather dig the info up by myself, but I bow to our future computer overlords so, just for fun, here's what artificial intelligence had to say about the book:

AI Overview

"Noble County, Indiana, has its share of ghost stories and haunted locations, including Albion's Rose Hill Cemetery, the Cromwell Library, and the Strand Theatre in Kendallville, according to a local author. A book titled "Haunted Noble County, Indiana" by Mark R. Hunter and Emily Jane Hunter details these and other spooky tales.

Specific Haunted Locations:

Rose Hill Cemetery (Albion) https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&cs=1&sca_esv=b0a6a50bf49897c6&q=Rose+Hill+Cemetery: Known for the restless spirit of Adam Hoffman, who was robbed and murdered in 1897.

Cromell Library: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&cs=1&sca_esv=b0a6a50bf49897c6&q=Cromwell+Library Some believe a friendly ghost greets patrons.
Strand Theatre (Kendallville) https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&cs=1&sca_esv=b0a6a50bf49897c6&q=Strand+Theatre: Reportedly haunted by a figure seen in the old projection room.
Sand Hill: One of the highest points in Indiana, rumored to be haunted, according to a book about the area.
Another High Hill: Said to be haunted due to a hanging or a murder immortalized by a poet.

Additional Information:
Mark R. Hunter, a local author, has extensively researched and documented Noble County's haunted history.
The book "Haunted Noble County, Indiana" Haunted Noble County, Indiana – Arcadia Publishing is part of the "Haunted America" series.
A Haunted Noble County Facebook group exists for sharing information and stories.
Limberlost Souls, a haunted trail in Noble County events-item limberlost-souls-annual-haunted-trail - visitnoblecounty is a popular attraction during the Halloween season, according to Visit Noble County: Boo! Looking to be Spooked in Noble? 👻

Okay, so a couple of notes. First of all, there is no Haunted Noble County Facebook group. I already have three FB pages: My main one, my author page, and the one for Smoky Days and Sleepless Nights that I never merged into the Mark R. Hunter author page. Plus the page I run for the Albion Fire Department. I never even considered creating a group.

Hm. Maybe a group for all our books?

Second, "theatre"? Is the AI British? That's where "1984" came from, after all.

Third, "another high hill"? It found all those other details, but couldn't be bothered to identify Diamond Lake Hill? Also, the poem takes place on Sand Hill.

Diamond Lake hill, also known as Diamond Hill. See? I found it.

Well, any publicity is good publicity, I suppose. Anyway, you can now see the cover and preorder the book at places including:

Haunted Noble County, Indiana – Arcadia Publishing

Haunted Noble County, Indiana (Haunted America): Hunter, Mark R., Hunter, Emily Jane: 9781467156066: Amazon.com: Books

Haunted Noble County, Indiana by Mark R. Hunter, Emily Jane Hunter, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Haunted Noble County, Indiana - (Haunted America) by Mark R Hunter & Emily Jane Hunter (Paperback) : Target

Haunted Noble County, Indiana - Hunter, Mark R; Hunter, Emily Jane - Dussmann - Das Kulturkaufhaus (Is this ... German?)

Haunted Noble County, Indiana Book By Mark R Hunter,emily Jane Hunter, (Paperback) | Indigo (Wait, the cover's not on this one yet.)

Haunted Noble County, Indiana (Haunted America) | Port Book and News

Haunted Noble County, Indiana - Mark R. Hunter, Emily Jane Hunter - häftad (9781467156066) | Adlibris Bokhandel

Results for "Haunted Noble County, Indiana" | Bookmarks | Non-Profit and Independent Bookstore

Haunted Noble County, Indiana / Najlacnejšie knihy (I have no idea where this one's located, but they've decided Emily wrote the book solo.)

Haunted Noble County, Indiana - 三民網路書店 (Um ....?)

Haunted Noble County, Indiana │ 誠品線上 - 閱讀與生活的無盡想像 (More um ...?)

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/haunted-noble-county-indiana_mark-r-hunter_emily-jane-hunter/54876559

Haunted Noble County, Indiana (Haunted America) (Paperback) | Forever Books

I kept finding more and it was getting ridiculous, so I gave up. Sometimes I found some of our other books, including some of our self-published ones in places they should never have gotten to, but who am I to complain?

I assume that, like our book Images of America: Albion and Noble County, the new one will be available in e-book and hardcover. At the moment an audio book isn't in the cards, but don't you want to see the photos? Sure you do.

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Location: home
Current Music: The Science Channel

butterflykiki

So! I wrote one of these two years ago, but finally posted it about a month ago? And I recorded the other ... man, it had to be 2017 or 2018, and then I couldn't figure out how to edit it, so it languished in a file until Celli helped me out. So here, have a some ficishness.

Marvel's Moon Knight (TV)
Everything is Jake
Jake's take on our story so far. Not that anyone asked.

[Perri & Rheanna both helped a lot with this, and probably thought I was never going to post it. I finally remembered to finish editing it. I had fun with this.]

Marvel (CA:FA, and CA:tWS)
God Save the Queen by Copperbadge
"Bucky was having a great time with Lizbet, until her dad got involved."

My reading of Copperbadge's utterly hilarious "God Save the Queen", which I recorded, forgot I recorded, then remembered, then Celli edited, posted, and created a cover for it.

There, I am accomplished, and off to record another podfic!

Current Mood: chipper

snickfic

- Of course now I want some kind of Brokeback/On Swift Horses crossover. Maybe like mid-60s, Jack runs into happily partnered Henry and Julius and they listen to his woes and fuck him.

- On related note, sure wish On Swift Horses would get onto streaming! Like for free with subscription, not just VOD like it is now.

- Some highlights from the very serious Oasis discussion forum:

Liam looked especially handsome in the video for 'Don't Go Away'. Elegantly wasted.

Why does it matter [what Noel looks like]? Being pretty is Liam's job.

- The Dead Meat Podcast is covering the entire Saw series, movie by movie. I am so excited. First episode of Hot Saw Summer is here. I have already rewatched Saw II in preparation for the next episode, which comes out tomorrow.

- I am eyeing the Terrible Temperature Troubles flash exchange, although I really shouldn't, because I still need to beat my Hurt/Comfort Ex bus pass into shape, and I have to Summer of Horror treats to work on. Meanwhile I'm also tempted by Battleship, which I said I'd never do again...

snickfic

Planet Terror (2007). A very silly, pulpy exploitation movie starring a bunch of recognizable people fighting a zombie apocalypse. This is very much the thing that it is. Gross, inappropriate humor, a child shoots himself in the head. Rose McGowan is really hot, but the whole thing is soured by her RL history with Weinstein, who produced. Tarantino cast himself as a would-be rapist in his buddy's film. There's a lot of ehhhhhhh here, is way I'm saying.

I didn't hate watching it, but nor do I need to watch it again.

--

Brokeback Mountain (2005). Two cowboys herd sheep on a mountainside and start a decades-long affair. I got to see this at the theater for the 20-year anniversary, yay. It was pretty good! Heath Ledger was fantastic as Ennis, and the scenery was gorgeous.

That said, I had a lot of quibbles. Truthfully, realistic drama is not my genre even when you make it gay, so feel free to chalk most of my complaints up to that if you want.

That said, there were two key transition points that felt really abrupt and underdeveloped (the first time they have sex, and the reunion after four years apart). I also feel like either Gyllenhaal didn't get enough to work with, or he did not do a great job at working with what he had. It felt like the whole movie Ledger was showing and Gyllenhaal was telling. Ultimately, though, I think my main problem with this movie is I just about never vibe with the "decades of vignettes" drama subgenre. It always feels like the story is spread too thin, and it does here, too.

I do see the criticism about this being too much about tragic gays or whatever. There's no such thing as the universal queer experience, and no one work can capture What It Means To Be Queer, but even so this feels like a particularly narrow and bleak perspective.

Overall probably won't become one of my favorites, but I'm glad I've finally seen it.

On All My Motions

“All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” – C.S. Lewis

Reading

FIC: Watcher’s Diary, syllabically (Multi) Gen

You Say You Don't Want a Revolution?

Summer of Giles is open for July 25!

Rebuilding journal search again

OAAAAAASIIIIIIIIIS

You CAN Judge a Book When It's Covered

One fic, one podfic, after way too long

(no subject)

Movies: Planet Terror and Brokeback Mountain